Shrapnel (G1)

This article is about the Generation 1 Insecticon. For the Cybertron character, see Shrapnel (Cybertron).

Shrapnel is a Decepticon Insecticon in the Generation 1 continuity family, family.

My kingdom for better electrical insulation... insulation.

The eccentric way in which Shrapnel parses his dialogue may seem endearing at first, first. Others are soon to discover that his seemingly benign tic is merely the gateway to a frighteningly twisted and perverse mind, even for a Decepticon, Decepticon. A master of electricity, his dark desires put this skill to use on his victims, victims. Nothing delights him more than to see how they squirm from his touch, touch.

French-Canadian name: Éclats D'Obus

Italian name: Rantrox

Japanese name: Sharpnel

Fiction

Animated continuity

Taste the LIGHTNING! Lightning.

Voice actor: Hal Rayle (US), Masashi Ebara (Japan)

The mercenary Insecticons landed on earth in their own space pod before the Ark crashed to Earth. (It is unclear whether this pod was launched from the Nemesis or not, as the dialogue seems to suggest maybe it was, but the Insecticons and Megatron's Decepticons do not seem to know each other.) Their pod crashed into the region that would become known as "Demon Swamp" and their computers adapted them to transform into insects and eat organic food to survive. The "Insecticons" apparently lived in the swamp for millions of years until discovered by Megatron's Decepticons. They form an uneasy alliance with Megatron, never coming fully under his command but working with the Decepticons when they could be convinced there was something (usually food) in it for them.

The Insecticons in the Cartoon were able to create vast clone armies of themselves at will, a formidable ability that my have been the reason they were able to maintain their autonomy from Megatron.

Beast Wars

While temporarily out of his mind, the Predacon Waspinator believed himself to actually be Shrapnel, and adopted his mannerisms and speech pattern, pattern.

Marvel Comics continuity

Shrapnel was one of the top lieutenants of Lord Straxus at Darkmount on Cybertron. Despite that, Straxus was willing to send him on a suicidal janitorial mission once, but Shrapnel managed to talk his way out of it. He was later reconfigured as an Insecticon, and travelled to Earth to serve under Megatron, then Shockwave, Ratbat, possibly Scorponok, Bludgeon, Megatron again...all while doing absolutely nothing of note besides being uncommonly easy to spot in crowd shots.

Dreamwave comics continuity

Shrapnel was part of a unit sent to Earth by Shockwave to guide the planet's development and prepare it for invasion. They were beaten up by the Dinobots on arrival, then played dead until Grimlock got bored and wandered off. Millions of years later, they were discovered by both the EDC and Autobots after kidnapping an entire town. Shrapnel was last seen getting a building dropped on him by Sideswipe.

Devil's Due G.I. Joe vs the Transformers comics continuity

As part of Serpent O.R.'s forces, Shrapnel defended the New Decepticon Army's base against a combined Autobot/G.I. Joe strike force. The Art of War, Part 5

Toys

Generation 1

File:Shrapnel Robot.jpg

I don't have two left hands, hands.

• Shrapnel (Insecticon, 1985)

Japanese ID number: 42

Shrapnel transforms into a robotic stag beetle. He doesn't do a whole lot more than that. Like the other Insecticons, he has a variation on his chromed parts, but this one is on his gun. Some Shrapels have "fins" on the very back-end of the rifle and a more detailed main barrel, while others (obviously) lack those details. The extra-detail versions appear to be a later run.

In Japan, Shrapnel and the other Insecticons were "re-released" as mail-order items from 1987 through 1988. They each cost 880 yen (their normal retail price) and two robot points.

This mold was used to make the Zaptrap drones.

• Insectrons ("Bookbox" multi-pack, 2004)

Japanese ID number: 16 (full set)

Shrapnel was released as part of the Japanese Transformers Collection series in a set with Bombshell and Kickback. This set also included three energon cube accessories that fit inside their chest compartments.

The Shrapnel in this set has the lower-detail rifle, probably in order to keep it closer to the original-original release, particularly for the redeco.

Merchandise

• Shrapnel (Decoy, 1987)

Shrapnel was one of the Decepticon Decoys packed in with smaller carded Transformers toys. While the normal purple version could come on any Decepticon toy, the rarer red version was available only on Throttlebot cards and only for a short while before the switch to purple.

• Destron Hero Collection-22 Set (Decoy multi-pack, 1987)

The entire run of twenty-two Decepticon Decoys were sold as a single boxed set in Japan, only in purple.

File:Robot Hero Insecticon.jpg

The world's cutest psycho, psycho

• Robot Heroes Insecticon. (Rodimus Vs Insecticon, 2007)

Renamed Insecticon because Hasbro has lost the trademark for Shrapnel, his Robot Hero incarnation is a two inch high figure in super deformed style.

Trivia

• Shrapnel --like the other Insecticons-- was originally a Diaclone "Waruder Kuwagatra" evil alien piloted mech in different colors... which were eventually used when the trio were redecoed for e-Hobby release. This is also the genesis of those opening chest compartments.
• Shrapnel, along with Starscream, had his gender switched from male to female in the french dub of Transformers: The Movie. It is unknown why this change was effected, but it's most likely because of the character's high-pitched voice. The change did not happen in the cartoon, as it had used a different dubbing team from the movie.

External links

• Shrapnel at TFU.info
• Shrapnel's Universe profile at NTFA.net

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.